Michael Cohen, once Donald Trump’s lawyer and fixer, has stepped onto the witness stand to testify against the former U.S. president.
The trial, which marks the first-ever criminal trial against a U.S. president, is now entering its final phase with Cohen’s highly anticipated testimony. Prosecutors anticipate concluding their presentation of evidence by week’s end.
Cohen’s testimony is expected to shed light on his involvement in arranging payments, allegedly made on Trump’s behalf, including those to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Daniels testified last week that a $130,000 payment she received in 2016 was intended to silence her about a decade-old sexual encounter she claims to have had with Trump.
Trump, however, denies any such encounter, maintaining his innocence in the face of charges of falsifying business records to reimburse Cohen for the payments just before the 2016 presidential election.
Throughout the trial, other witnesses, including former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker and ex-Trump adviser Hope Hicks, have detailed Cohen’s role in orchestrating efforts to suppress damaging stories during Trump’s 2016 campaign.
